The Long Goodbye
by ShortyBoss
Summary: Season Six, Episode 12. Things were starting to look up for the Titans,but it all comes crashing down when Starfire is sent a message from Tamaran. Galfore is dead, and the Tamaraneans need a leader. Starfire is leaving, and the Titans do their best to make these next few days the best days of her life. Rated T.


Hello again, faithful readers.

This is it, part one of the Season Six Finale! Just for the record, this episode is a rollercoaster ride between heart_warming_ and heart_breaking_, although you may have gathered that from the title and the summary. It's also quite a long episode, so bear with me on this one, okay? Also, spoilers for the rest of my season six stories are in abundance.

Disclaimer: Nope. I own nix, nil, zip, and nada of the characters, setting, etc.

* * *

Robin ran a hand through his hair and sighed. The boring, tedious job of filling out the paperwork always somehow ended up as his responsibility. The bulk of the aforementioned paperwork was usually damage and insurance claims: Robin had stressed (several times) that his teammates should minimize destruction of civilian property. Nevertheless, in their battles against crime, something would break, and then the Titans West, or rather, their major sponsor, Bruce Wayne, would have to pay the bill. The public, of course, had no idea why Bruce Wayne would sponsor the Titans. Robin, on the other hand, knew exactly why, but he wasn't going to tell anyone anytime soon.

Robin glanced up at the newspaper clippings that adorned his walls. Most of the news in the last year had been positive, and the Teen Titans as a whole were doing well.

The first report was an old one. It was an article about the capture of Ravager, Slade's daughter. She had freed Cinderblock, Plasmus and Overload, and used them to distract the Titans. Raven, Cyborg and Beast Boy had fought the trio, with some help from a pair of visiting Honorary Titans, Jericho and the Herald. Robin and Starfire had chased after her, and in the ensuing battle, Ravager broke Starfire's arm and had slashed Robin in the gut. Fortunately, she hadn't hit any vital organs, but he would have died if Jericho hadn't have intervened. Jericho went into Ravager's mind, and Robin still didn't know what he'd done, but whatever it was, she'd seen that her father was not who she thought he was, and she'd surrendered willingly.

The second report was a fairly recent one. It had been sent to him by Red Star, and it was about the successes of the third team of Titans, the Titans North, stationed in Wing City. They had originally been a team formed while he and Starfire were recovering from their injuries, and were tracking down a weapons smuggler. They'd captured the smuggler, and then had set up on the outskirts of Wing City. Red Star had married his teammate Pantha about a month ago, and all the Titans had attended their wedding. They'd also adopted Wildebeest, who, while he looked like he was fully grown, was only still just a young boy.

The third report was about the Titans South. They were stationed in Obsidian City, and had been sponsored by multimillionaire Loren Jupiter. The first criminal they had captured was the martial arts expert Katarou. The redeemed Ravager had been instrumental in his capture, and though Robin still had lingering doubts, her younger brother Jericho trusted her, as did her teammates Hot Spot, Argent and the Herald, so Robin wasn't too worried.

The next article spoke of the successes of the Titans East in Steel City, the second established team of Titans. They'd stopped the assassin Cheshire, but Robin had heard some rather interesting rumours about what was _really_ going on between Speedy and Cheshire. Robin made a mental note to warn the teen archer about the dangers of dating one of your enemies, or he could get Batman to handle that; after all, he _was_ known to have dated Catwoman...

Another report was about the defeat of the Fearsome Five. The Fearsome Five had been a team formed to defeat the Titans West. Jinx had infiltrated the team and brought them down from the inside, but she hadn't been very happy about betraying them again. That was when Jinx had received her communicator, and became an official member of the Teen Titans.

The sixth report was a recent one that had been sent in from Keystone City by Kid Flash. He'd defeated Mirrormaster, one of the members of the Flash's Rogues Gallery, as they called themselves, with some help from his girlfriend Jinx. Kid Flash and Jinx had gotten together officially after they'd defeated Kid Kold and Ice Kate, much to Cyborg's complete lack of surprise.

The next report was about Madame Rouge's escape from prison, and her subsequent recapture. Madame Rouge had been freed by Starfire's older sister, Blackfire, and Blackfire had asked Madame Rouge to impersonate Wildfire, Starfire's younger brother. The Titans had eventually seen through the disguise and took Madame Rouge down, and the Doom Patrol had taken her back to France. Starfire had fought Blackfire one-on-one, and would have killed her sister if Robin hadn't of stopped her. Even so, Starfire had disowned Blackfire, and Robin had slashed her cheek open with one of his bird-a-rangs, leaving Blackfire with a permanent scar. Hopefully, she wouldn't show up any time soon...

The next piece of paper was not a news report, but a photograph. The young woman in the photograph had blonde hair and bright blue eyes, and was wearing the uniform of the Murakami High School. She looked identical to Terra, the former sixth member of their team. She'd betrayed them, working as a spy for Slade, but she had managed to redeem herself in the end when she turned against Slade. Unfortunately, Terra's geokinetic powers had triggered a volcano, and she'd stayed behind to stop it. She succeeded, but at a terrible cost: Terra's entire body had been turned to stone. Raven and Cyborg had tried to find a way to free Terra, mainly just to comfort a heart-broken Beast Boy, but they'd been unsuccessful. After the Titans had returned home after the defeat of the Brotherhood of Evil, they'd been attacked by some sort of white creature. That was when Beast Boy had seen the schoolgirl in the photograph. Beast Boy had tried to get her to remember, but the schoolgirl said that the girl Beast Boy wanted her to be was only a memory. The mystery had been somewhat solved when her older brother Geo-Force had arrived in Jump City, looking for her. Beast Boy had taken him to Murakami High School, and Geo-Force confirmed that the schoolgirl was indeed Terra. He said she was happy, and didn't want to ruin that. Robin suspected that Geo-Force had spoken with her, but he had no concrete evidence, and Geo-Force wasn't telling.

The ninth report was about the superhero Killowat. He was a hero from a parallel universe. In that universe, Jump City had been overrun by the criminal Deathstroke, who was the equivalent of Slade in Robin's universe, and only six people stood against him: Flamebird, Nightrider, Battalion, Terra, Mirage and Killowat. Terra had been captured, and forced to work for Deathstroke against her will. Killowat had been pulled into this universe by Raven, in an attempt to save his life. After the Brotherhood of Evil had been defeated, he'd started feeling homesick, so he'd asked Raven to send him home. Things didn't go as planned, and Raven sent him to a world where the Titans were called the Teen Tyrants, and were a gang of criminals, and Slade was a hero. Robin and his team had followed Killowat, and rescued him from the Tyrants while Slade and his allies defeated the Tyrants. Eventually, they'd managed to get Killowat to his home universe, and they'd helped Killowat and his team defeat Deathstroke and save Terra. (1)

The tenth and most recent article was a report on the theft of the Diamond of Phanastacoria. The Diamond had been stolen by Red X, one of the best thieves in Jump City. He'd stolen the diamond while the Titans West were helping Killowat. Upon their return, Robin had received a tip-off that Red X would be at an abandoned warehouse with a stolen painting late at night. He'd received the tip from Red X's client, and, as a favour to the thief, he'd saved his life and helped Red X take out his client. He'd then fought Red X in a one-on-one battle, which had ended when Red X stole Robin's utility belt and teleported away with both the utility belt and the stolen painting. That was when Robin had realized that while he hated the Red X suit, and the reasons he'd created that suit, he didn't hate the man who stole the suit and was currently wearing it. Whoever Red X really was, he was a nice enough guy; he just happened to be on the wrong side of the law.

Robin sighed again, and put down his pen. The paperwork could wait, Robin decided. It was more important to be a member of the team, and not take everything so seriously all the time. He'd had to learn that lesson a few times before it started to sink in, though. He left his office, and walked down the hallway. Laughter drifted down from the common room; Beast Boy and Cyborg were probably taking each other on in that racing game again. But a closer sound caught his attention. It was coming from inside Starfire's room, and as he placed his ear to her door, Robin realized that it was sobbing. Robin opened the door, and saw his girlfriend seated on her bed, tears streaming down her face, her emerald green eyes bloodshot from crying.

"Hey, Kori, what's wrong?" Robin asked gently as he sat down next to her.

Starfire gulped in air between sobs, and her voice was unsteady as she spoke. "Richard, I..." she swallowed, and started again. "I have to go back to Tamaran. Galfore is dead."

* * *

_When there's trouble, you know who to call. TEEN TITANS!_

_From their tower they can see it all. TEEN TITANS!_

_When there's evil on the attack,_

_You can rest knowing they've got your back,_

'_Cause when the world needs heroes on patrol,_

_Teen Titans, GO!_

_With their superpowers they unite. TEEN TITANS!_

_Never met a villain that they liked. TEEN TITANS!_

_They've got the bad guys on the run,_

_They never stop till the job gets done,_

'_Cause when the world is losing all control,_

_Teen Titans, GO!_

_One, two, three, four, GO! Teen Titans!_

* * *

**The Long Goodbye**

"Princess Koriand'r, this is General Ryys'ik, Supreme Commander of the Tamaranean Armed Forces." (2)

Robin sat next to Starfire, watching the holographic message replay. The Tamaranean speaking had a scar on the right side of his face, one that sliced through his eye. His right eye had been replaced by a metal orb, with a bright red dot at the centre. He had a close-cropped beard, and his short-cut red hair was greying at the temples.

"I bring you sad news," he continued. "It is with deep regret that I must inform you of the death of Grand Ruler Galfore, your _k'norfka_."

Robin remembered Galfore from when the Titans had visited Tamaran. Galfore had been a huge, muscular man, but around Starfire, he was kind and gentle. From what Robin had gathered, Galfore had been her caretaker during her childhood, and had developed into something of a father figure.

"He was killed in battle against the Gordanians," said General Ryys'ik. "He had stayed behind to allow our forces to escape. We will hope that his sacrifice will not be in vain.

"However, with his death, the people of Tamaran have no-one to lead them in this war. I know you wished to stay on Earth, but we need you to take up the mantle of leadership. A shuttle will arrive to take you to Tamaran in five days." Ryys'ik paused for a few seconds. "I am truly sorry for your loss, and I honestly regret taking you away from your life on Earth, but we need you more." He sighed quietly. "General Ryys'ik out."

There was a click, and the hologram disappeared, replaced by a sentence written in a foreign language, before that vanished as well, and the room was silent, save for Starfire's sobs. Gently, Robin wrapped his arms around her, and Starfire cried onto his chest, her tears staining his red shirt.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I really am." A single tear leaked out of the corner of his mask. He and Starfire loved each other, there was no doubt about that, but now she was being torn away from him so suddenly... but the pain in his selfish heart would be nothing compared to how Starfire felt. She had just lost the man who had raised her and cared for her since childhood, and on top of that, she was going to have to leave him behind and be plunged into a war where millions more might die: where she herself might die.

Robin hated to ask, but he needed to know. "When did you get this?"

"T-ten minutes ago," she replied, her voice muffled by his chest. She lifted her face and managed to look him in the eye. "The message was sent yesterday," she continued.

So she had only four days left until she had to leave.

"Do you want to tell the others?" asked Robin.

Starfire nodded. "But not yet," she whispered, as a fresh wave of sobs wracked her body. Robin held her tenderly, rocking her gently as she cried.

* * *

Raven looked up from her book as the common room door opened. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Beast Boy and Cyborg glance away from their game for a brief second, and then perform a spectacular synchronised double take, with Cyborg retaining enough presence of mind to pause the game.

Robin walked in, his arm wrapped protectively around Starfire's shoulders. His shirt was tear-stained and wet, and her eyes were bloodshot and red.

Raven started to ask the question on all their lips. "Wh...what?"

"Galfore, my _k'norfka_, is dead," said Starfire. "And I must leave for Tamaran in four days."

Beast Boy's jaw dropped. "Oh my..." he began, but his voice failed him halfway through.

Raven stood up and hugged Starfire. Seeing Raven willingly hug Starfire would have been surprising when they had first met, but a lot had changed in two and a half years.

"I'm sorry," Raven whispered.

"Thank you," Starfire whispered back.

"So, um, wh-what are we gonna do?" asked Cyborg.

"Unfortunately, there is nothing you _can_ do," said Starfire sadly as Raven let her go.

"Yeah, but...what will happen to _us_ while you're gone?" asked Beast Boy. He remembered what Starfire had told them when Warp had dragged her into the future. Cyborg had become an outdated, hopeless wreck, Raven had slowly spiralled into insanity, Robin had become Nightwing, a jaded loner, and Beast Boy himself had apparently had a horrible solo hero career and eventually became nothing but a fat, balding man working as a one-man zoo. Starfire had made it back to the present, which had changed the future, but now Beast Boy was worried that history would be repeated, and the lives of his friends would devolve back into what Starfire had seen.

"We'll just have to do our best without her," said Raven. She was scared of what might happen with Starfire gone, but she promised herself that she would not turn into the insane wreck Starfire had seen in the future.

Robin nodded. "And that will just have to be enough," he said. The Teen Wonder turned back to Starfire and wiped away another tear.

"S'alright," he whispered gently, pulling out a handkerchief with his other hand. "Go dry your eyes," he said. "And I want you to enjoy these next few days, okay? No more tears."

Starfire smiled weakly. "I'll try," she said. The Tamaranean woman left the common room, and Robin left as well.

Beast Boy sunk onto the couch with despair. "I thought, after everything we've been through, we might get a break," he said. Raven nodded. Fighting crime was all well and good, but sometimes, it would be nice to be able to relax and not have to worry about that sort of thing.

"But now," continued Beast Boy, "It all comes crashing down yet again." The green-skinned teenager sighed. "It's never going to be that easy for us, is it?"

Raven shook her head, and drew her hood up, hiding her face and her emotions in the shadows it cast.

Cyborg moved over to the table, and pressed a few buttons.

"What are you doing?" Beast Boy asked.

"I'm going to call all the other Titans," he said. "They should probably told, right?"

"Right, yeah," said Beast Boy.

Cyborg pressed another button, and the screen filled with static for a second, before the image became that of the Titans East Tower common room.

"¡Senor Cyborg!" said the superspeed twins Más and Menos in chorus.

"Hey kids," he said. "Can you two get Bumblebee, Speedy and Aqualad? I've got something to tell you all."

"¡Sí!" The twins disappeared in a white blur, and Cyborg took a few deep breaths to try and get his composure back.

The twins returned a few minutes later, with the rest of their team in tow.

"Hey, Sparky, what's up?" asked Bumblebee, her insect-like wings flapping rapidly as she hovered in the air.

"Um, I've got some real bad news..."

* * *

Ten minutes later, Cyborg sank onto the couch, having informed the rest of the Titans of Starfire's imminent departure. The reactions had varied from disbelief to anger, even sad acceptance, but everyone had agreed to come to Jump City to give Starfire one last farewell.

"We're gonna keep this a secret from Star, right?" asked Beast Boy.

Cyborg nodded. "I want this to be a surprise," he said. "So she'll know that we'll all miss her." The half-robotic teen looked around. "Where's Raven?" he asked.

"She went back to her room, I think," said Beast Boy. "I don't think she's taking this well."

"Can you blame her?" asked Cyborg.

Beast Boy looked in the direction Raven had gone, then back down at the floor. "Not really," he said eventually. "And if you think she's gonna take this badly, imagine how Robin feels," continued the green-skinned young man.

"I'm trying not to," replied Cyborg.

* * *

Robin hadn't slept well last night. He'd had a nightmare, the same nightmare he'd had on this very day for the last eight years, regular as clockwork. The reason for that nightmare was very simple: today was the anniversary of the deaths of his parents, John and Mary Grayson. Last night, though, it had been worse. Instead of watching his parents die, he'd watched helplessly as Starfire plummeted to her death...

Behind him, the door hissed open.

"Richard?" asked Starfire gently. "What's wrong?"

The young woman walked into the dimly lit room. Robin was seated, and he was resting his head on the chair's back. He was looking up at a poster. The poster was old, and starting to fray a little at the edges. It was for a circus act, a family trapeze act called the Flying Graysons. Until recently, Robin had kept it in a heavily locked briefcase. The briefcase and its contents had been stolen by Ding Dong Daddy, but the Titans had managed to recover it with some unexpected help from Red X. Once Robin had retrieved it, he decided to show his team the contents of the briefcase. Each of them had seen the Flying Graysons poster, and Robin explained that his most prized possession, the thing he valued above all else, was not the poster itself, but what it represented. His identity, the person he was behind the Robin mask, was what he had valued the most. That was when he had revealed his real name; Richard Grayson. It was an incredible display of trust, and the other Titans had also revealed their real names. Beast Boy revealed that his full name was Garfield Logan, and Cyborg had said his name was really Victor Stone. Raven had said that her real name was, in actual fact, Raven. Starfire had told the Titans her name in Tamaranean was Koriand'r, which was when she had received the nickname 'Kori'. (3)

Robin sighed, and turned to look at her. He wasn't wearing his mask, revealing his bright blue eyes. "Today is the anniversary of my parents' death," said Robin quietly.

Starfire didn't say anything. She had already guessed that his parents were dead, and now something Robin had said when they were out on a date once started to make more sense.

"Your parents...they died during their act, didn't they?" she asked.

Robin nodded. "The Flying Graysons were a part of Haly's International Travelling Circus. We were in Gotham City when it happened. A mob boss named Tony Zucco had tried to force Haly to pay protection money, but Haly refused. In response, Zucco had his men weaken the trapeze with acid. The trapeze was weakened so that it could support one person," Richard swallowed the lump that had started to rise in his throat, "but not two," he finished, his voice dropping to a whisper.

Robin squeezed his eyes shut, but not before a few tears could escape. Closing his eyes did nothing to block off the memories, though...

* * *

_Mom leapt off the trapeze, spinning through the air. Dad swung out to catch her, his arms outstretched. He grabbed Mom's hands, and they started swinging backs._

_There were two loud snaps, and the cables holding Dad's trapeze broke in half, the severed ends swinging back and forth slowly._

"_MOM! DAD!" I screamed. Mom and Dad fell as the audience watched, unsure whether to scream, call for help or run. I saw Mom and Dad look at each other, and they whispered something to each other, but I couldn't hear it. There was a sickening thud as Mom and Dad hit the ground, and the audience started screaming, as people tried to get out. None of that mattered to me. I fought my way through the crowd, making my way to the centre of the arena. I ran up to Mom and Dad. Their bodies were twisted and broken from the impact, but they were still holding each other's hands._

"_Mom," I whispered, as sirens started to ring out. "Dad..." Tears started to fall down my face. "Please wake up," I whispered as I shook them, when deep down, I knew they weren't waking up ever again._

* * *

Starfire reached out and took his hand as tears trickled down his cheeks. She didn't say anything. There was nothing she _could_ say that would make either of them feel better, or that they hadn't already heard before. All they could do was sit there in silence, knowing that there would always be someone there to help share the burden and the pain. Except that for them, in three short days, they wouldn't be there for each other anymore.

Alarms started to ring out through the halls of the Tower, and Robin snatched up his mask, slipping it on and brushing away his tears. Behind them, the door opened, revealing Cyborg standing outside with a grim expression.

"What's up?" asked Robin, walking past Cyborg.

"There's an escape in progress at Jump City Prison," said the half-robotic teen, following in his leader's wake.

"Who's escaping?" Robin asked.

"Everyone, I think," said Cyborg.

"Good," growled Robin. "I'll have plenty to smash."

* * *

The JCPD had their hands full when Robin and Starfire arrived. Robin brought his motorcycle to a halt and yanked off his helmet. Starfire pulled off hers and the two of them made their way over to where a squad of police were firing at Cinderblock.

"Mallory!" yelled Robin.

One of the cops stood up and backed up towards Robin, firing his laser pistol at the rock creature.

"What's the situation?" asked Robin.

Mallory yanked off his helmet. "It's an absolute mess," he said. "We've managed to catch Mad Mod, Control Freak, Puppet King and See-More, but the rest are causing trouble all over town."

"Sir!" yelled another one of the policemen. "Adonis, Dr Light, Overload, Mammoth and Kyd Wykkyd have been spotted by Squad Seven downtown!"

Robin yanked out his communicator. "Raven, Beast Boy, head downtown!"

"On our way," replied Raven.

"Report from Squad Three," called out a third cop. "Plasmus and Billy Numerous are down near the sports centre!"

"Cyborg, get to the sports centre!" yelled Robin.

"Gotcha!"

"Anything else?" asked Robin.

"No sir," replied the cop.

"Wait," said Mallory, looking up at the sky. "Over there!" he yelled, pointing.

"I see them," replied Robin. "Angel and Punk Rocket!"

"I've got them!" called Starfire, taking off and charging her starbolts.

Robin shoved his communicator back into his belt. "Looks like it's just you and me versus the big guy," he said, nodding at Cinderblock.

"Any tips for taking this guy?" asked Mallory, reloading and taking aim at the golem-like creature.

"He's strong, he's slow and he's stupid," said Robin. "Keep moving and wear him down. And don't get hit!"

Mallory nodded. "Let's do it."

* * *

Punk Rocket strummed the cords on the bottom of his electric guitar-shaped hover board, blasting Starfire with concentrated soundwaves. The Tamaranean woman covered her ears, but she was still forced back by the pressure of the soundwaves. Angel flew in front of her, and her white wings grew to enormous size. Angel tried to crush Starfire between her wings, but Starfire managed to hold Angel's wings apart, and blasted the young woman with her eyebeams. Angel started to drop, but she managed to recover before she hit the ground. Punk Rocket fired off another sonic blast, but Starfire dodged, and fired a starbolt at him, knocking him off his hover board. Angel swooped down and caught him, and Starfire dropped down and followed them, planting a solid kick in the centre of Angel's back. Angel cried out, and dropped Punk Rocket. Punk Rocket landed on the street, rolling to a stop at the feet of several of Jump City's finest.

Angel rose again, and Starfire sent a barrage of starbolts in her direction. Angel managed to avoid getting hit, and went down low, flying between buildings in an attempt to lose Starfire. Starfire followed her easily as Angel flew past where Raven and Beast Boy were fighting their opponents. There was a strange humming noise, and Kyd Wykkyd appeared above her, dropping down and kicking her in the back. Starfire cried out in pain, and swung around to hit Kyd Wykkyd. The pale-skinned teenager teleported away, reappearing in the air near Angel. She caught him and flew off. Starfire blasted at Angel with her eyebeams, striking the winged teenager. Angel fell unconscious and started to fall, but Starfire caught her so she wouldn't hit the ground and die. Kyd Wykkyd tried to attack her, but she knocked him out as well and carried them both to the Jump City Prison.

* * *

Cyborg backed up slowly, firing his sonic cannons at the advancing horde of Billy Numerous clones. Behind the clones, Plasmus had ripped up a sewage pipe and was eating the waste spewing out of the pipe, becoming larger and more powerful as it consumed more waste.

Suddenly, the sludge monster exploded, sending gunk flying in all directions. Starfire flew out from the centre of the explosion, carrying the unconscious body of the man inside Plasmus. Starfire carried him over to a nearby police van. Two cops had taken cover behind the van, and were firing at Billy Numerous clones.

Starfire dropped off the unconscious man with the two cops, and then flew over to join Cyborg, her eyes glowing green and starbolts formed around her hands.

"What is the plan?" she asked.

"Keep hitting 'em 'til they stop coming," replied Cyborg, firing at another Billy.

Starfire nodded. "Let's do it," she said.

* * *

A fire hydrant exploded, sending water gushing into the air. While she was nowhere near as good as Aqualad was, Raven managed to redirect the stream of water at Overload, causing the electrical creature to short out and collapse, leaving only the weapons chip that served as both the brain and heart of the creature. Mammoth ripped up a street lamp and swung it at Beast Boy, and the green-skinned teenager morphed into a hummingbird and dodged the blow, before transforming into a gorilla and punching Mammoth in the chest.

Adonis was behind Beast Boy, and was getting ready to punch him when his armour started glowing black. He looked around, and saw Raven a few metres away, her eyes glowing white and black energy surrounding her hand.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" she chanted, and Adonis's power armour was ripped to shreds, and the teenager collapsed onto the street. Raven fired a second blast of black energy at Adonis, knocking him down.

Beast Boy, still in gorilla form, tossed Mammoth into the air, and the red-haired teenager slammed into the side off a building, falling unconscious.

Dr Light had been steadily backing away as Raven dealt with Adonis, and had turned and ran when Mammoth had become airborne. He glanced at the battlefield over his shoulder. Hopefully, he could get away before—

Raven cleared her throat, and Dr Light whipped his head around. Dr Light whimpered in fear.

"I surrender!" he yelled, his voice squeaking in fear. "Just don't hurt me!"

One of the police ran up and handcuffed him, and Raven floated over to Beast Boy.

Her communicator beeped, and she answered it.

"Psimon, Shimmer and Gizmo have been spotted near the bay," said Robin without preamble.

"Starfire and I still have our hands full dealing with Billy," replied Cyborg, as starbolts and sonic cannons rang out in the background, punctuated by shouts and gasps in a southern accent from various Billy Numerous clones.

"Beast Boy and I are done here," Raven said. "We'll take Psimon, Gizmo and Shimmer."

"Right," said Robin. "I'm finished with Cinderblock, so I'll give Cyborg and Star a hand."

Robin signed off, and Raven put her communicator away. She glanced over at Beast Boy.

"I heard," said Beast Boy. "We'd better get moving."

Raven nodded, levitating herself off the ground and soaring through the streets, with Beast Boy a short distance away, gliding on the air currents as a hawk. It wasn't long before they got arrived at the bay, and found their opponents waiting for them.

Psimon had been a member of the Brotherhood of Evil. Raven had fought him before, when Psimon and Kyd Wykkyd had ambushed her during the Brotherhood's attempted purge of the Teen Titans, and during their battle with the Fearsome Five. Gizmo, a boy genius and former H.I.V.E. Academy student, was one of the first opponents the Titans West had fought, back when there was only one team and no Honorary Titans. Shimmer had also been a member of the ill-fated Fearsome Five, and was a relatively new addition to the pantheon of enemies the Titans had acquired over the last two and a half years. She had the ability of matter transmutation, and was apparently Mammoth's sister. Raven could see the resemblance; they both had the same long red hair, and Shimmer looked a lot like her brother, especially around the eyes.

Psimon fired a purple blast of telekinetic energy at Raven, and the young woman created a shield around herself, and the blast bounced off harmlessly. Gizmo fired the laser cannons in his jetpack, and a stream of yellow laser blasts ricocheted off the shield. Psimon fired another barrage at her, and Raven started to chant her mantra as she put all her concentration into maintaining her shield.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos," said Raven, sweat starting to run down her brow and soak into her robes.

Beast Boy flew over Gizmo, and morphed into a monkey, landing on the boy genius's jetpack.

"What the—hey!" yelled Gizmo. "Get off me, you little pit sniffing monkey!"

Beast Boy started prying into the jetpack, ripping off one of the panels and pulling out circuitry. Gizmo screamed as the jetpack sputtered and died, and he fell to the pavement below. Beast Boy leapt off and morphed into a hummingbird, hovering in the air and taking in the scene. Shimmer had turned to run, but then started to back up before Robin swung down on his grappling line and kicked her in the chest.

Psimon was still sending a stream of purple energy at Raven, and the young sorceress was maintaining her shield. Starbolts and sonic blasts struck Psimon from the side, knocking him aside. The purple beam died, and Psimon turned to face Cyborg and Starfire.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" chanted Raven, and she sent a stream of dark energy at Psimon, striking him and bringing him down.

Raven landed gently, and Beast Boy flew up beside her, turning back into his human self.

Robin sighed. "Let's go home," he said wearily.

* * *

Richard Grayson adjusted his sunglasses. He wasn't Robin, not today: today, he was the man behind that mask, almost for the first time since he'd become a Titan.

The door to the garage opened, and Kori walked in. Like him, she was dressed in civilian clothing, and the hologram ring she was wearing downplayed the colour of her skin and eyes.

Richard smiled and passed her the spare helmet.

"Where are we going?" she asked as she slipped the helmet on.

Richard pulled his own helmet on. "You'll see," he said as he climbed onto his motorbike. Kori got on behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Titans Tower was located on an island. This made it problematic to get land vehicles out to the Tower. The solution had been to construct an underwater tunnel, connecting Titans Tower to the mainland. The tunnel came out at an unassuming house in Slack Road. Richard pulled out into the early morning traffic, and began the long journey.

* * *

"Where are we?" asked Kori as the city started coming into view.

"Gotham City," replied Richard. "My old home. Keep your eyes open for trouble."

Kori nodded. She'd heard about Gotham, and most of the stories seemed to indicate that crime was a major problem in the city, even with Batman constantly fighting every night.

"What are we doing here?" she asked.

"I'm here to do something I should've done a long time ago," said Richard.

* * *

Richard's eyes travelled over the rows of headstones at the Gotham City Cemetery. His gaze stopped over two headstones, side by side: The graves of John and Mary Grayson.

Richard knelt down, and laid the two bouquets down, one on each grave.

"Um, Kori?" he asked, his voice thick. "Can I, um..." he trailed off and cleared his throat. "Can I have a few minutes privacy?"

Kori nodded, and moved a few metres away.

Richard swallowed. He'd never worked up the courage to do this before.

"Mom, Dad," he whispered. "I... I don't know if you can hear me, but, if you can, then... I just want you to know that... I still miss you. I always will. But... even though you're gone, I still love you. I have a new family now, but I'll never forget you."

Richard was on the verge of tears now, but he continued anyway.

"Dad, I... I hope you're proud of me. I've always tried to live in a way that would make you proud, but... I've made some mistakes; serious ones, ones that almost cost me my life... and my friends. I... I hope that you can forgive me for that."

Tears started to work their way down his cheeks, and he removed his sunglasses as he continued.

"Mom... I miss you more than anything. Whenever I think of you... I remember that... there's more to life than being a hero... that's there's still time for me to be who I am. Kori... she reminded me of that... and she reminds me of you. That's why I love her so much."

"Goodbye, Dad," finished Richard. "Goodbye, Mom. I miss you both." Richard's voice choked up, and he started to sob. Kori came back and knelt next to him, wrapping her arms around him, hugging him gently as he cried the tears he'd held back for so many years. (4)

* * *

It was some time later when Richard pulled up at Wayne Manor. He and Kori had just had a delicious meal at one of Gotham's most expensive restaurants. Kori had been worried they wouldn't get a table, but Richard knew there was always one table permanently reserved for Mr Wayne and his adopted son.

"Where are we?" asked Kori, looking up at the Manor.

"Wayne Manor," replied Richard. He had taken his sunglasses off a few hours ago. "I used to live here... after my parents died."

Richard led Kori down the path to the front door, and Richard knocked. The door was answered by an old man, who stood with quiet pride and dignity. He smiled when he saw them.

"Master Richard," said Alfred Pennyworth. "It is good to see you again."

Richard smiled. "Hello, Alfred," he replied. "It's good to be back."

Alfred glanced at Kori. "And who is this charming young lady?" he asked, and Kori blushed.

"This is my girlfriend," said Richard. "Kori. She's the Princess of Tamaran."

Kori looked at him in alarm. "It's okay," he said soothingly. "Alfred already knows both my identities. I'd trust him with my life."

Kori relaxed. It took a long time to gain Richard's trust, but if he did trust someone, then they were someone worth trusting.

Alfred had watched this exchange with slight amusement. "Yes, I know all about Master Richard's extracurricular activities. I must say, Master Bruce has watched your career with great interest."

"Speaking of Bruce, where is he?" asked Richard, looking around.

"Master Bruce is hosting a function in the main hall," replied the butler. "One that is quite important for him to attend. He can't exactly slip out unnoticed. I will let him know that you and the young lady are here, though."

"Thanks, Alfred," said Richard. "We'll be downstairs if you need us."

Alfred bowed, and left the pair. Richard started to lead Kori up one of the nearby spiral staircases.

"I thought you said we were going downstairs," said Kori, confused.

"We will," said Richard. "Just trust me."

Kori nodded, and followed him up the stairs. "Who was that?" she asked.

"Alfred Pennyworth," replied Richard. "He's the butler here."

"And who owns this manor?" asked Kori, already suspecting an answer.

"Bruce Wayne," said Richard. "I know you've heard of him."

She had. Owner of Wayne Technologies and Enterprises, or Wayne Tech, as it was commonly called, Bruce Wayne was the main sponsor of the Teen Titans and one of the richest men in the United States, possibly the world. He was also rather... eccentric, was the term usually used. Uncharitable people may have said that the only thing that kept him _eccentric_ rather than _insane_ was the fact that he had large amounts of cash to buy off doctors.

"He adopted me after my parents died," Richard continued. "Our relationship... well, it kind of got off to a rough start. But, after a while, things got better between us."

Richard led her into the library. There were several books lining the shelves in the walls, and there was a grandfather clock set up on one wall. Richard walked over to the clock and opened the face. The time currently on the clock was just after eight fifteen. Richard spun the hands until the time was ten forty-seven. There was a click, and one of the inner shelves moved silently inwards, exposing an elevator. Richard entered the elevator, and guided Kori inside. The elevator travelled downwards, dropping deep, eventually stopping. The doors opened, and Kori gasped. There was a large cavern, interspersed with walkways and platforms. A large computer screen sat off to one side, and throughout the room, various items were interspersed, including a life-size model of a tyrannosaurus rex and a giant 1947 Lincoln head penny. Bats squeaked and fluttered through the higher reaches of the cave.

"What is this place?" whispered Kori.

"The Batcave," said Richard with a slight smile.

Kori paused. "You mean... Bruce Wayne is _Batman_?"

"Yep," said Richard. "Or Batman is Bruce Wayne, one of the two."

Kori looked around in wonder. "What are all those..."

"Souvenirs," said Richard, walking over to the computer. "I'm telling you, Bruce is worse than Kid Flash when it comes to souvenirs."

Richard sank into the chair in front of the computer, and started to tap a few keys. After a few minutes, a map of Gotham City appeared, with a glowing green dot on it. Richard smiled, and tapped another button. There was a few seconds silence, and then someone spoke.

"Batman? I thought you were busy," said the voice. It belonged to a woman, about Richard's age, maybe a little older.

"It's not Batman," said Richard, his smile getting bigger.

The woman on the other end of the line gasped. "Oh my god," she whispered. "Dick, is that you?"

"Hey, Babs," he replied. "It's been a while, huh?"

"Oh my god, where the hell have you _been_?" asked the woman. "And why didn't you ever call or write or something?"

"Sorry," said Richard. "I've been pretty busy with the Titans up in Jump City. I haven't really had any time to send you guys a message."

"Well, you _should've_ made time," said the woman. "Oh, god, it's been ages, Dick! I'll be back at the cave in a few minutes so we can catch up properly, all right?"

"Wait, who's going to be on patrol if you're not?" asked Richard.

"Oh, Tim's about to start his patrol in a few minutes anyway. He should be able to handle anything that comes up."

"Tim _who_?" asked Richard.

"Oh, right, you wouldn't have met him yet," said the woman. "Tim Drake. He's the new Robin."

"Oh," said Richard. He blinked in surprise a few times. "Huh."

"Anyway, I'll be back soon," finished the woman. "See you in a few!"

There was a click as she disconnected.

"Who was that?" asked Kori.

"Barbara Gordon," replied Richard. "Batgirl. She was kind of like an older sister to me as we grew up."

There was a slight whirring noise, and Richard raised his hand, catching the bird-a-rang that had come flying at him.

"Nice throw, but you still haven't worked how to throw them so they fly silent yet, have you?" asked Richard, looking at the young boy who'd just arrived. The kid had black hair, and his face was obscured by a mask, but his uniform was easily recognizable. He was wearing a Robin uniform, albeit one in red, gold and black, rather than the more cheery red, yellow and green version Richard wore.

"Wh-who are you?" he asked.

Richard casually tossed the bird-a-rang in the kid's direction. "Richard Grayson," he replied. "The _first_ Robin." Richard was pleased to note that the kid's face started to go a little pale as he said that. "And you'd be Tim, right?"

Tim nodded. "Yes, sir," he said quietly. "I'm sorry I tried to attack you," he mumbled.

"Hey, don't worry about it," said Richard. "I would've done the same thing in your position."

"Really? Oh," said Tim, breathing a sigh of relief. The young boy glanced at Kori. "So, who's that?" he asked.

"My girlfriend," said Richard. "If you had attacked me, she would've kicked your butt."

Tim swallowed. "Um, I-I'm just going to go out on patrol now," he said, backing away quickly. "Bye!"

Tim turned and moved as fast as he could to the exit, without actually breaking into a run. Richard just smiled.

"Nice kid, but he gets scared easily," Richard said. "He's going to have to work on his confidence."

The Batcave was silent for a few minutes, save for the water dripping from the stalagmites overhead, and the occasional squeaking from a bat. After a few minutes, Richard started to smile.

"You're getting rusty, old man," he said. "I heard you from twenty metres away."

"That was so you knew I was here," said a voice behind him. Kori gasped and spun around, and found herself staring at a middle age man with black hair and dark eyes.

"Ah," said Richard, turning to face the newcomer. "Testing me, huh?"

The man smiled. "Always, Richard."

Richard stood up and walked over to the man. Richard held out his hand, but the man ignored it, instead opting to hug Richard. Richard laughed and hugged the man back.

"It's good to see you again, Richard," said Bruce Wayne.

"Thanks, Bruce," said Richard. "It's good to be back."

Bruce stepped back and looked Richard up and down. "You sure have grown up in the last few years," he said. His gaze flicked over to Kori. "And picked up a lady, I see."

Richard and Kori both blushed slightly at that comment. "Um, yeah," said Richard. "Bruce, this is—"

There was a shout from somewhere behind them.

"_Dick!_"

Richard turned, his eyes widening as he found himself being caught in a flying tackle hug from Barbara Gordon, still in her Batgirl uniform.

"_Oof!_" Richard grunted as the air was knocked out his lungs by the force of Barbara's hug. "Yes, hello, Babs," he wheezed. "Now, could you let go, please? I can't breathe."

* * *

"So, you're going back to Jump, huh?" asked Barbara.

Richard nodded. "Sorry I couldn't stay for longer, but..."

"Yeah, you said last night," said Barbara. "I understand, Dick, honest."

After the function Bruce was hosting last night had wrapped up, Richard, Bruce, Barbara and Kori had spent a few hours chatting and catching up. That was when Richard had said that Kori was leaving for Tamaran. Today was her last day on Earth, and she wanted to spend it with the people she'd come to value as both friends and family.

Richard smiled slightly. "Thanks, Babs."

Barbara groaned. "When are you going to stop calling me that, _Dick_?" she asked, emphasizing the nickname she used for him.

"Depends," replied Richard. "When are you going to stop calling me 'Dick'?"

"I'll stop calling you 'Dick' when you stop calling me 'Babs'," said Barbara.

Richard grimaced. "In that case, I think we've reached a bit of an impasse," he said.

"Yeah, I guess so," said Barbara.

There was silence between them as Richard finished packing. Bruce was flying to Jump City on his private jet to attend a meeting at Wayne Enterprises, and he was giving Richard and Kori a free ride back home. Richard packed the last of his things in his bag.

"Hey, Dick," said Barbara as he started to walk out. "Take care of yourself, okay?"

She walked over and hugged him. "You're like the little brother I never had," she continued, looking up into his face. "Except, you know, taller than me."

"Don't worry, Babs," Richard said. "I'll be fine." (5)

* * *

Richard shielded his eyes from the late morning sun. A car pulled up by him. The car was nondescript, the sort of plain white car of the generic shape that appears in cities everywhere, the kind that never earns anything more than a casual glance. However, there were a number of things wrong with it that a casual glance would miss. The license plate, which read 12345 GO, was not officially registered anywhere in California. There were no model names, brand names, or company logos anywhere on the car. These differences made sense; after all, Cyborg had built the T-Car from the ground up. The blue circuitry that traced around the outside of the car would have been extremely noticeable, as would the same circuitry on the driver, if not for the holographic technology that Cyborg had developed for disguise purposes.

Richard opened the front door, taking his usual spot in the shotgun seat. Kori climbed into the back.

"Hey, guys," said Cyborg. "You two have fun at Gotham?"

"It was all right," said Richard.

Cyborg nodded, pulling out. "So, where to now?" he asked.

"Let's go home for now," said Kori.

* * *

Kori rested her head on Richard's shoulder as the two of them watched the fireworks at the Jump City Fair from their vantage point of the Ferris wheel. The first time the two of them been here, Starfire had been attacked by a squid-like robot, sent by the Centauri Police in an attempt to arrest her sister Blackfire. Even though he hadn't realized it at the time, that day had been the day that Richard had started to truly fall in love with the beautiful young woman beside him.

Somewhere down below, the other Titans were just having fun, playing games and winning prizes, trying hard not to think about what tomorrow would bring.

Kori clasped his hand. "The next time I see something like this, it will be a sign that the Gordanians are attacking," she whispered.

Richard kissed her cheek. "Don't worry about that for now," he said. "Right now, we're just two normal people, out for a date, watching the fireworks."

Kori nodded, and nestled closer to him. He slid his free arm around her shoulders, and rested his head against hers as the fireworks shot into the air, lighting the night sky for the two lovers.

* * *

Richard kissed Kori good night, and his girlfriend pulled him in for a second, longer kiss. Almost instinctively, she stepped back, pulling Richard towards his room. The two of them broke apart and gazed into each other's eyes.

"You sure about this?" asked Richard. He knew what she wanted, and he wanted it too—but he didn't want to force her into doing anything she wasn't completely certain about.

"Yes," said Kori, her voice strong with conviction. She kissed Richard again, and the door opened behind her. Kori pulled Richard through, and their lips were locked together before the door finished closing again.

* * *

Cyborg stood in the Titans Tower hangar. The T-Ship, its orange paint scratched and slightly faded, sat off to one side. In the pre-dawn sky, three dots were approaching at high speed. The three dots soon resolved into the three other T-Ships Cyborg had built: the blue TE-Ship, the yellow TN-Ship, and the purple TS-Ship, the main methods of transportation for Titans East, Titans North and Titans South, respectively.

With incredible precision, the pilots of the three craft set down on their different landing pads within seconds of each other. The five hatches opened, and the heroes climbed out. Speedy yawned as he approached, earning a glare from Bumblebee.

"What? I'm still on Steel City time," said Speedy defensively when he noticed Bumblebee glaring at him. "_And_ I was up half the night on patrol."

"Speaking of that, how'd your nightly make-out session with Cheshire go?" asked Aqualad quietly.

Speedy muttered something that Cyborg didn't catch, and he made a rather rude hand gesture in Aqualad's direction.

"They're worse than two year olds," whispered Ravager.

Bumblebee nodded. "Just ignore them."

"I'm glad you guys could make it," said Cyborg, shaking Red Star's hand.

"It was no problem," said Red Star. "Besides, we are all her friends. We will all miss her, and we all want her to know that."

"Yeah," said Cyborg. "But we still need to get the other Honoraries."

"I can handle that," said the Herald, holding up his horn.

Cyborg smiled. "Thanks, buddy."

The Herald blew through the horn, opening up a portal. He stepped through into another dimension, and the portal closed behind him.

* * *

Starfire glanced at the mirror. She was wearing the clothes she had worn when she had first arrived on Earth: the traditional outfit of Tamaranean royalty. She held the crown in her hands, debating on whether or not she should wear it.

_No_, she decided. _My people may think I'm royalty_. _I don't_.

She placed the crown down on her bed. She pulled her communicator out from its place on her belt and stared at it. That small yellow disc had slowly come to mean so much over the years: a symbol of the friendship and trust between her and the other Titans. Friendships she was about to leave behind; trust she was about to abandon. She left her communicator on her bed next to the crown, along with a hand-written note, with only two words on it.

_I'm sorry_.

* * *

Starfire had been hoping to avoid her friends today. She didn't want to say goodbye to them. She didn't want to speak to them at all: she didn't want them to talk her out of this. She had to leave the Titans behind, and if they spoke to her, the resolve she had tried to build up over the last few days would crumble, and her people would have no-one to lead them against the Gordanians. The Tamaraneans needed her more than her friends, but if they spoke to her, she might not be able to make the choice she needed to make.

Starfire entered the hangar that occupied the top level of Titans Tower. It was dark in the hangar, and it seemed like there were more shadows than usual. She stepped forward warily, all too aware that this could be a trap. The hangar doors in the east wall started to open, seemingly of their own will, light spilling in from the sun rising over Jump City. The shadows retreated, revealing not one, but _four_ T-Ships, of various colours, the members of the other three teams, and every Honorary Member of the Teen Titans.

"We weren't gonna let you leave without saying goodbye," said Cyborg from behind her. She turned around to face him. He had come in behind her with Beast Boy and Raven.

"And once I told everyone you were leaving, everyone wanted to say goodbye," he continued.

Starfire smiled as tears started to well up in her eyes. She walked over to him and hugged him, being careful to regulate her strength.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Cyborg smiled, and a tear started to form in his organic eye. "You're welcome," he replied.

Raven wiped her face with the hem of her cloak.

"Something in your eyes?" asked Beast Boy quietly, close to tears himself.

"Yeah," said Raven, her voice cracking. "Tears."

Starfire let go of Cyborg, and moved to hug Beast Boy. Beast Boy tried to speak, but his voice caught in his throat. He started to cry, eventually managing to stammer out that he was going to miss her. She then hugged Raven, promising that she would always remember the good times they'd had together. After that, the goodbyes started to blur together. Starfire spoke with everyone, hugging them, holding them as they cried while tears spilled out her own eyes as well. Jinx had wished her luck, which was slightly ironic coming from the 'Mistress of Misfortune', as she was nicknamed by the media. Ravager had apologized for what she had done, and the injuries she had caused. Starfire had forgiven her, having seen that her time with Titans South really had changed her. The superspeed twins Más and Menos had broke down into tears, and had to be escorted out by Bumblebee, who wasn't faring much better. Kole had said that she would have to go to the mall with Starfire when she got back. Starfire managed to prevent herself from reminding Kole that her return was an 'if', not a 'when'. Red Star hugged her, saying that she was one of the best friends that any man could have, and that he was truly honoured to have met her. Jericho hadn't said anything; even if he could speak, he probably wouldn't have been able to speak through his sobs. Thunder and Lightning had said that the lesson that they had learnt from her through Beast Boy had changed them; maybe not for the better, but they had been changed for good. Bushido had spoken to her in Japanese, the second Earth language she had learnt. He told her that the life of a warrior was a hard one, and that she should always be vigilant, making sure that she did not become the very thing she was fighting again. She had promised him that in the same language. Melvin had asked if they would ever see each other again, the very question she had dreaded to hear. Starfire had answered honestly, admitting that she didn't know. Melvin had nodded, struggling to hold back her tears. Raven knelt down next to Melvin and hugged the young girl as she sobbed. Kid Flash hugged her, and asked her if Robin had treated her well. When she said yes, he was glad, because now he didn't have to break Robin's legs, which made Starfire laugh, although it sounded more like a hiccup. Once the goodbyes were over, she looked around.

"Where's...?" she began.

"I'm right here," Robin said from behind her. He was dressed in his uniform, but he wasn't wearing his mask. It was obvious that he'd been crying, and tears were still rolling down his cheeks, but he still managed to smile.

"I just had to get your goodbye gift," he said. He lifted her hand gently, and placed her communicator in her hand. The device was open, and on the inside of the lid, he'd taped a picture of the two of them together. Starfire recognized the picture: it had been taken yesterday, in one of those do-it-yourself photo booths at the Jump City Fair. Robin shut the communicator, and then wrapped her fingers around it.

"No matter where you are, or what you're doing, you'll always be a Titan," he said. "And when there's trouble..." he said, his voice trailing off.

"I know who to call," said Starfire, finishing the line for him. "Thank you."

She kissed him, their lips locked together for the last time. A low pitched rumble started up, causing Robin and Starfire to break apart and look for the source of the noise. A Tamaranean shuttle began to approach, retracting its wings as it approached the docking bay.

Starfire swallowed. "I guess... this is goodbye."

"No," said Robin firmly. "This isn't goodbye. We _will_ see each other again. I promise." Robin smiled grimly. "And I intend to keep that promise, come hell or high water."

Behind them, the Titans cleared out to make room for the shuttle, and landing gear started to jut out from the base at the shuttle.

"Robin, you could—" Starfire began, but Robin placed a finger on her lips, silencing her.

"Don't ask me that question," he said. "I'd rather not have to make that choice. It wouldn't matter which option I'd pick; I would regret making either choice. So, please, don't ask that."

With a hiss, the shuttle settled on the floor of the hangar. A hatch opened on the side, and a Tamaranean stepped out. He didn't say a word; he just looked around awkwardly, trying not to stare at the Titans.

Starfire looked at the shuttle, then back at Robin.

"It doesn't matter how far apart we are," she whispered, "I will never forget you."

"And it doesn't matter how long it takes," said Robin, "We'll see each other someday."

Starfire nodded, and kissed him on the cheek. "I love you, Richard."

"I love you, Kori," he replied.

Starfire wiped away her tears and turned around, walking towards the shuttle. She stood tall and proud, _regally_, a complete turnaround from her usual, innocent personality. She stood like a warrior. She said something to the Tamaranean, and he nodded, and stepped into the shuttle. Starfire followed him, with one last, longing gaze back at her friends. In that one gaze, Robin saw the heartbreak in her eyes, but he also saw hope; hope that she would live, hope that she would return, hope that they would be together again. She stepped into the shuttle, and the hatch closed. The shuttle rose up, pivoting to face the hangar doors. The shuttle soared out of the Tower, carrying a pilot, a co-pilot, a Tamaranean military officer, and a broken-hearted princess hiding her pain, leaving behind four teams, a sea of tears, irreplaceable friends, and a broken-hearted superhero hiding his pain.

* * *

**Author's Note**

1. Not many people have read Wrong Place, Wrong Time. It's because of Killowat, isn't it? Nobody cares about Killowat, obviously. You should read it. Hopefully, that little synopsis will inspire more people to read it...hopefully.

2. I seem to have a bit of an economy cast for my Tamaranean military figures. Anyway, Ryys'ik has made a few appearances before, in Titans Reunited and Brother.

3. Everyone wants to know what Robin had in that briefcase in Revved Up. There's my opinion for you. Oh, and yes, this scene _was_ inspired by Regarding Robin, aka TTG #47.

4. I honestly had no idea I was going to write this scene. I mean, mostly I just write by the seat of my pants anyway, but I usually have some sort of vague idea of what I'm going to do. This specific scene literally came out of nowhere, and I only figured out what Richard was up to as I started to write the scene. Then I just let him have his way with the dialogue, and... Well, the results are there for you to see. Interesting fact: I actually had tears in my eyes as I wrote this. This scene is only about three hundred words, but they are the three hundred words I am most proud of... so far. I hope the best is yet to come.

5. You know, it was a lot of fun playing with the Bat Family instead of the Titans. It makes for a refreshing change.

This was a real challenge for me to write. I got writer's block a few times, I was busy with school work, and I personally don't think I'm skilled enough to do this story justice. Maybe I'm just being too hard on myself. But I can't really say how well I did. That's up for you readers to decide. Use that fancy review thing at the bottom to let me know how I did.

Next up, Episode Thirteen: Titans Alone, the story of what happened to the Titans after Star left and before Titans Reunited. How will the Titans be able to handle life without Starfire...or each other?

ShortyBoss.


End file.
